Congressman Elton Gallegly

Congressman Elton Gallegly is doing an excellent job for this district. Take a close look at his record: He has been consistent in his voting for our interests by protecting Social Security benefits, fighting against drugs and crime, and promising not to vote for an increase in taxes. What more can we ask? RUTH FINNERN Camarillo

The truth is that Elton Gallegly was on a crime detection mission with the Police Department of Simi Valley, looking for gangs and people afoul of the law ("Gallegly Joins Police, Border Patrol Raid," Jan. 24). It is true that he has worked hard at the request of his taxpayer constituents to relieve this state of the burden of excessive taxes to cover the welfare and crime associated with people who have broken the lawto begin with when they entered this country illegally. Unfortunately, all too often you refer to "the immigrants" and totally ignore the fact that they are illegal.

The people deserve to know the specific voting record of Congressman Elton Gallegly, and they deserve to hear a real debate between the incumbent congressman and his opponent, Richard Freiman. Incumbents have huge advantages--name recognition, money and access to the press. The people are the losers; they never hear anything negative about them. Gallegly's political letters, mailed to his constituents at taxpayers' expense, are carefully written to his advantage, never addressing anything controversial.

Congressman Elton Gallegly supports the bill by Rep. Joel Hefley (HR 260), which would open the door to selling the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and the Channel Islands National Park. His support of this bill makes it impossible for him to give honest assurance that these parks are protected. He can't have it both ways. For the first time, Gallegly refuses to support funding for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and Channel Islands in the upcoming park appropriations.

I never cease to be amazed at the thinking of the liberal left as expressed in the news section of your paper regarding medical and other services to children of illegal aliens. Here, we the taxpayers are screaming to high heaven about all the so-called giveaway programs foisted on not only Ventura County, but on the whole of California. Comes along Congressman Elton Gallegly, courageous enough to bite the bullet and offer a legal solution, and he is vilified, called a racist and other delightful epithets.

Finally, someone who is willing to address the controversial issue of immigration. I was starting to believe elected officials were afraid to speak out on this topic. Congressman Elton Gallegly is proposing legislation to update a portion of the 14th Amendment. This new legislation includes keeping U.S.--born children of illegal immigrants from automatically qualifying for costly medical and welfare services. This is not a racist issue because it is not limited to any one race, and will benefit Americans of all races.

Lest Congressman Elton Gallegly's position regarding "illegal alien" entry into our country be construed as prejudicial against the concept of immigration, my wife and I offer our experience with the congressman and his staff's efforts on behalf of our son-in-law's attempts at becoming a citizen of our great nation. Their efforts to put into motion an application for citizenship, bogged down in two years of inertial red tape and six years of frustration was above and beyond their duties as we see them, and deserves our everlasting admiration and gratitude.

To propose a bill before Congress which will deny citizenship to an offspring who is born to undocumented parents is inhumane and certainly against the principles of the Constitution. Undocumented Mexicans, and I am sure Congressman Elton Gallegly has in mind that particular human element, only come to this country because of economic and social problems. Those problems are no different than those of early Pilgrims--Europeans, which are Gallegly's ancestors as well as mine. The only difference is that Mexicans come to do the undesirable jobs nobody else wants and not come to kill or take away land from the Native American as the early Pilgrims did. I call on Gallegly to reconsider and stop this backward constitutional amendment and look for more humane and practical solutions to our problems.

It seems there is no situation that Congressman Elton Gallegly will not exploit to make political hay. In a recent essay he states that Ventura County was declared an earthquake disaster zone "within minutes" after he appealed to President Clinton at the town hall meeting. I watched that meeting on C-SPAN and I saw Vicky Howard, county supervisor from Simi Valley, make an appeal and I saw Sen. Barbara Boxer's visible increase in attention when she heard the words Ventura County.

I'd like to commend Congressman Elton Gallegly for his vote in support of the crime bill. This was not an easy decision and knowing Elton, it was not a decision he took lightly. It was a vote against crime and for the residents of Ventura County. I would remind Elton's supporters of one of President Reagan's favorite sayings; "If you agree with someone 95% of the time, he is a 95% friend, not a 5% enemy." Elton never gets to vote on a bill be supports 100%. He fought the pork and social programs in the crime bill, got a lot of them removed and voted his conscience.

Congressman Elton Gallegly supports the Hefley Bill (HR 260), which opens the door to selling the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and the Channel Islands National Park. His support of this bill makes it impossible for him to give honest assurances that these parks are protected. He can't have it both ways. For the first time, Gallegly refuses to support funding for the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area and the Channel Islands in the upcoming park appropriations.

Ventura County has been struggling for years to find solutions to our air pollution problem. The county is designated as an area with a severe air quality problem, and residents are forced to endure the adverse health effects of polluted air. Recently, under court order, the Environmental Protection Agency issued a plan (known as the FIP, for federal implementation plan) that sets precise timelines to bring the county into compliance with the Clean Air Act and its health-based standards for air quality.

I'd like to commend Congressman Elton Gallegly for his vote in support of the crime bill. This was not an easy decision and knowing Elton, it was not a decision he took lightly. It was a vote against crime and for the residents of Ventura County. I would remind Elton's supporters of one of President Reagan's favorite sayings; "If you agree with someone 95% of the time, he is a 95% friend, not a 5% enemy." Elton never gets to vote on a bill be supports 100%. He fought the pork and social programs in the crime bill, got a lot of them removed and voted his conscience.

It seems there is no situation that Congressman Elton Gallegly will not exploit to make political hay. In a recent essay he states that Ventura County was declared an earthquake disaster zone "within minutes" after he appealed to President Clinton at the town hall meeting. I watched that meeting on C-SPAN and I saw Vicky Howard, county supervisor from Simi Valley, make an appeal and I saw Sen. Barbara Boxer's visible increase in attention when she heard the words Ventura County.

In his latest "Special Report" sent to us at taxpayers' expense, Congressman Elton Gallegly brags that he voted against "massive tax increases" which will raise $255.3 billion in tax revenue over the next five years. Meanwhile, Gallegly voted to extend the superconducting super collider, that big hole in the ground they're digging in Texas, which is projected to cost over $16 billion before it's finished. Does Gallegly propose that we borrow the money to pay for this project? Gallegly has lined up with the Republican obstructionists in Congress in an effort to kill any economic proposals put forth by the Democrats.

To propose a bill before Congress which will deny citizenship to an offspring who is born to undocumented parents is inhumane and certainly against the principles of the Constitution. Undocumented Mexicans, and I am sure Congressman Elton Gallegly has in mind that particular human element, only come to this country because of economic and social problems. Those problems are no different than those of early Pilgrims--Europeans, which are Gallegly's ancestors as well as mine. The only difference is that Mexicans come to do the undesirable jobs nobody else wants and not come to kill or take away land from the Native American as the early Pilgrims did. I call on Gallegly to reconsider and stop this backward constitutional amendment and look for more humane and practical solutions to our problems.

In his latest "Special Report" sent to us at taxpayers' expense, Congressman Elton Gallegly brags that he voted against "massive tax increases" which will raise $255.3 billion in tax revenue over the next five years. Meanwhile, Gallegly voted to extend the superconducting super collider, that big hole in the ground they're digging in Texas, which is projected to cost over $16 billion before it's finished. Does Gallegly propose that we borrow the money to pay for this project? Gallegly has lined up with the Republican obstructionists in Congress in an effort to kill any economic proposals put forth by the Democrats.

Lest Congressman Elton Gallegly's position regarding "illegal alien" entry into our country be construed as prejudicial against the concept of immigration, my wife and I offer our experience with the congressman and his staff's efforts on behalf of our son-in-law's attempts at becoming a citizen of our great nation. Their efforts to put into motion an application for citizenship, bogged down in two years of inertial red tape and six years of frustration was above and beyond their duties as we see them, and deserves our everlasting admiration and gratitude.

Finally, someone who is willing to address the controversial issue of immigration. I was starting to believe elected officials were afraid to speak out on this topic. Congressman Elton Gallegly is proposing legislation to update a portion of the 14th Amendment. This new legislation includes keeping U.S.--born children of illegal immigrants from automatically qualifying for costly medical and welfare services. This is not a racist issue because it is not limited to any one race, and will benefit Americans of all races.